EXPLORE...and Save $60...

We love maps and we love travel.  (Give Scotty a globe and he is entertained for hours).  I want to incorporate this somehow into our home.  It just so happens, there is a ton of map decor out right now!

...AND IT'S ALL OVER-PRICED.

Have you been to World Market lately? (Will I mention World Market in every post?) Maybe I will. Stay tuned.

When I saw these, my eyes bulged and my jaw dropped.  

Did you catch that price? You can bet that I let out a "HA!" and put those little letters back on the shelf they were sitting on. 

Let's just head on over to Joann's and see what we can find, shall we?

OH! Thanks Joann, for the $19 in WOODEN letters (Not paper like WM's)

I already had this map-tastic scrapbook paper at home...In TWO options!

Now we stencil. Trace those babies out and get to cutting.  Get as many letters as you can on that paper.  We don't waste around here!

Mod Podge the letters using a brush.  Just a thin, light layer is best or you'll have bubbles and probably end up tearing the paper.  Put the paper cutout on the letter and smooth out with a credit card.

A perfect fit.  I may end up putting another layer of Mod Podge over the top to seal and protect.

BOOM! I can dig it. I actually like these so much MORE than the letters at WM.  They look pretty cool on that table but I think I want to hang them on the wall.  They'll look snazzy against the warm gray paint I chose for the house (future post coming). 

DIY Entry Table

Since getting some cheap-o particle board table was not an option, I have been scouring thrift stores, yard sales, and Craigslist for an entry/sofa table to re-do.  I wasn't picky. I wasn't asking for too much: just a simple, waist-high table to furnish the space in my narrow entry way.  It could have been llama-poop green (is llama poop green?) for all I cared, I was ready to refinish it anyway (and if it was a cool piece, possibly even paint it turquoise...ok, now I'm just getting wild.)

After tiring from all of this searching, and from being inspired by every piece of furniture at World Market, I decided I would try to just BUILD one.  I'm not a carpenter, I'm just a girl with access to power tools.  How hard can it be, right? I just want a simple design. LET'S DO THIS.  I'll just head on down to the 'ol Home Depot (AKA FantasyLand for grown-ups).  I did get inspiration from a piece at a consignment store in Chico but knew I wanted to make mine smaller by using 2 boards across the top instead of 3.  I also wanted to use smooth wood instead of the rough fencing on this table. No dimensions, just a general idea of how I wanted it to look: RUSTIC.  (See below for my inspiration.)

After standing in the lumber aisle just staring at planks of wood and using my teeny tiny tape measure, I finally loaded onto my cart:

1- 1"x8' board (which I cut in half to have 2, 4' boards side by side for table top)
2- 4x4 posts (legs)
2- 1x4 boards (for frame under the table top)
1- 1/2 pint can of Minwax Polyshades (wood stain and polyurethane in one. YAY! Less work!) in "Espresso", Satin finish.

Total spent on lumber + stain: $46.38

*Note that I loaded this into my little Honda Accord. I was pretty confident it would fit (do you know many IKEA furniture boxes I have crammed in there in the past? It's incredible really.  After a bit of maneuvering I got the lumber home and was ready to build.

*Oh, I hope you weren't looking for dimensions because there aren't any.  The dimensions in my head go a little something like this: "3.5' and a couple 'little thingies' extra", etc.

Step one: EYEBALL IT! I am notorious for "eyeballing" everything. I have a "that'll do" attitude about many things. This is one of them.  How tall do I want my table? Ummmm, "here's good".  Then measure that "here" height and we're good to go. I know, this is not helpful at all.  Just keep reading. :)

Set up the sawhorses and used a hand saw on those 4x4s to start cutting the table legs. That was by far the hardest part of the entire project.  Talk about a forearm workout. Geez.

Make a rectangle frame to put your table top on. Just go ahead and eyeball that too.  Once you're forearms stop bulging, use a cordless skill saw to make cuts on the other pieces.  Eh, just piece those together in a rectangular-like shape and put screws in them with a handy-dandy cordless drill. Flip that bad boy over and put screws in the top to secure the frame. Once secure, turn it back over like the below photo and you're ready to put the legs on.

Oh! It's starting to resemble a real table!? I mean...of COURSE it is.









Much to my surprise, after the legs were attached, it DID NOT WOBBLE.  Insert shocked face, follow with celebratory dancing. After the celebration, I cut those little pieces that go across the legs...

HOLY HEAVEN! That looks like a table, doesn't it?!

Ok, get to sanding. Luckily I have a sweet little Ryobi electric sander. This thing is SWEET. I have completed projects in the past with just a piece of sandpaper and my hand alone and this little do-dad is pure luxury in comparison.  

The can of stain said to do 2 coats. DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO.

I actually really liked the look after 1 coat so I didn't do more.  I liked the brushstrokes, the variation of dark to light color and that you could still see the pine through it.  And I'm glad I didn't fill the screw holes. It all matches the look I was going for: RUSTIC.

Ooooooh, it's almost done!  What's that? Time for dinner? I DON'T EAT UNTIL I FINISH. 

I've also been searching for an entry way lamp.  GOODWILL (possibly 2nd favorite store) has some pretty sweet finds.  I found this black distressed lamp base for $6 and this cool cork shade on clearance at World Market. I think it's cozy and can't wait to set it all up together in the house.

I was pleasantly surprised with how this project came out.  Now that I know the design works and was fairly easy to execute, I can see a large rustic dining table in my future. What else can we build? :)